If you're doing a remake, you have to make it your own or there's no point. You choose points of departure and distinction. Changing race or gender can help define and clarify the differences for your new show/movie.

You might as well ask "What's with setting Shakespeare plays in time periods other than the 16th century?"

There's the fact that, as a society, we're far less homogenous. In the 70s, anchoring a show around a black actor would have greatly limited its appeal. There were fewer black actors that people would have recognized, to begin with.

The point is, if we're remaking something, there's a 90% chance that the focus characters were white and male, not because there's anything inherent in the role which requires it, but because historically that was the western default.

It is no longer the western default. The new default is much broader, and as a result, we'll end up changing the gender/race of characters simply because our sense of what's acceptable has widened.

If you're doing a remake, you have to make it your own or there's no point. You choose points of departure and distinction. Changing race or gender can help define and clarify the differences for your new show/movie.

You might as well ask "What's with setting Shakespeare plays in time periods other than the 16th century?"

That is a little nusance. I still rankle at casting of women to perform the bards tales.

It just seems like something they do for no real reason other than to be PC or something. Not that I care, Michael Clark Duncan was great as The Kingpin. I think casting Lucy Liu as Watson is stretching it a bit (in fact there's no reason to even call that show "Sherlock Holmes" besides brand recognition).

With the success (if you can survive 1 season these days you're a hit) of the new Hawaii Five-0 the other networks are taking notice. I still prefer the classic Hawaii Five-0 due to its campieness, but the newer one has better characters, and have their own personalities rather than just doing whatever it is Steve McGarett tells them to do.

And for what it's worth... Horatio Caine is the new Steve McGarett. Alex O'Loughlin could have gone that route, but then he would have most likely been compared to Caine by newer/younger viewers unfamiliar with the original Steve McGarrett.

Now I'm scratching my head on why Ironside. I mean yeah, eight seasons, but the shows basic premise might not carry over to the newer/younger viewers. The geriatric viewers will eat it up though if they case it right.

It will still Nathan Lane as Fred Sanford and his erstwhile son Lamont, will be played by none other than Michael Cera, and instead of a dump, they are going to have an antique consignment shop, and it will be set in Orange country.

Also on the board is Good Times with a cast whiter than Eight is Enough. I am thinking Octomom and all of her brood with John Stamos as the dad.

bedtundy:With the success (if you can survive 1 season these days you're a hit) of the new Hawaii Five-0 the other networks are taking notice. I still prefer the classic Hawaii Five-0 due to its campieness, but the newer one has better characters, and have their own personalities rather than just doing whatever it is Steve McGarett tells them to do.

And for what it's worth... Horatio Caine is the new Steve McGarett. Alex O'Loughlin could have gone that route, but then he would have most likely been compared to Caine by newer/younger viewers unfamiliar with the original Steve McGarrett.

Now I'm scratching my head on why Ironside. I mean yeah, eight seasons, but the shows basic premise might not carry over to the newer/younger viewers. The geriatric viewers will eat it up though if they case it right.

It will still Nathan Lane as Fred Sanford and his erstwhile son Lamont, will be played by none other than Michael Cera, and instead of a dump, they are going to have an antique consignment shop, and it will be set in Orange country.

Also on the board is Good Times with a cast whiter than Eight is Enough. I am thinking Octomom and all of her brood with John Stamos as the dad.

Oddly enough, if you actually pitched those they just might get picked up.

My memory of that show is very indistinct has has become mixed up with "Jake and the Fat Man" and Rascal scooter commercials. So now I have memories of watching a fat guy in a motorized scooter solving criminal cases at Wal-Mart.

It just seems like something they do for no real reason other than to be PC or something. Not that I care, Michael Clark Duncan was great as The Kingpin. I think casting Lucy Liu as Watson is stretching it a bit (in fact there's no reason to even call that show "Sherlock Holmes" besides brand recognition).

bedtundy:With the success (if you can survive 1 season these days you're a hit) of the new Hawaii Five-0 the other networks are taking notice

I never saw the original and I occasionally watch the new version ("watch" is a strong word...I sometimes have it on when I'm doing other shiat) but I'm guessing this is another show that has little do with the original. I doubt and again, I could be wrong, that Steve Mcwhatever wasn't an ex-Navy Seal who saves the country every episode in the original show.

The categories of TV shows (at least on network TV) is getting very narrow. There have always been the incessant cop/doctor/lawyer shows. But now there's the police "consultant", the ex-special forces guy and the troubled guy whose wife and/or children were killed shows. Each of those tropes are in at least 5 shows each. Thank Christ for BluRay theatrical movies.

It will still Nathan Lane as Fred Sanford and his erstwhile son Lamont, will be played by none other than Michael Cera, and instead of a dump, they are going to have an antique consignment shop, and it will be set in Orange country.

Also on the board is Good Times with a cast whiter than Eight is Enough. I am thinking Octomom and all of her brood with John Stamos as the dad.

It just seems like something they do for no real reason other than to be PC or something. Not that I care, Michael Clark Duncan was great as The Kingpin. I think casting Lucy Liu as Watson is stretching it a bit (in fact there's no reason to even call that show "Sherlock Holmes" besides brand recognition).

I think the changing racial demographic may also have some influence in the race or sex of characters in remade shows. I patiently await the 'character adjustments' should they ever remake 'Gone With The Wind'.

Mugato:never saw the original and I occasionally watch the new version ("watch" is a strong word...I sometimes have it on when I'm doing other shiat) but I'm guessing this is another show that has little do with the original. I doubt and again, I could be wrong, that Steve Mcwhatever wasn't an ex-Navy Seal who saves the country every episode in the original show.

Fun fact because you were not watching it too closely. The new Hawaii 50 actually takes plane in Omaha.

How about remaking the Fallguy with Carlos Mancia, Cheech Marin and Eva Longoria.

Mugato:bedtundy: With the success (if you can survive 1 season these days you're a hit) of the new Hawaii Five-0 the other networks are taking notice

I never saw the original and I occasionally watch the new version ("watch" is a strong word...I sometimes have it on when I'm doing other shiat) but I'm guessing this is another show that has little do with the original. I doubt and again, I could be wrong, that Steve Mcwhatever wasn't an ex-Navy Seal who saves the country every episode in the original show.

In the original, I think McGarrett was ex-Navy, though not a SEAL, and he did clash with international crime syndicates and foreign spies. So the modern show is not a complete departure.

One think I like is that the characters weren't all buff, young people in the original show. I like to give myself nightmares by imagining who they would cast in a remake of Barney Miller.